There are rafts of tufted ducks, predominantly males with black and white plumage and a panache, a long crest of dark feathers present in the breeding season. The female has a blue bill and a hint of a crest, her plumage is dark brown.
Strolling the Leighton Moss reserve, we look to identify trees as well as birds. Leighton Moss is wetland and reed bed so there is willow and alder carr, both species found on river bank and in wet ground. It's a morning of bright sun and cloud so at times colour drains from the woodland fringe and alder are thick and dark with catkins. Hazel catkins are first to flower and most showy. Birch have small catkins on delicate twigs and they will show green when they open.
I like my image of a great-crested grebe taking flight to show the white underwing and feet paddling the water. Snipe are roosting on an islet of reed-stubble, hunkered down amongst teal and wigeon, the pale stripes patterning their heads visible. We watch otter sinuous and dark as they break the surface of the water and we hear they're munching something on the edge of the reed bed but you need a telescope to see that.